Extra-Time Talking Points: Fofana's Confidence, Ünder's Role & Vardy's Finishing
- Gerry Taggart, Steve Walsh and Tony Cottee star on LCFC Radio's Extra-Time show
- The former Leicester City trio assessed the Foxes' 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Emirates Stadium
- They also previewed City's UEFA Europa League trip to AEK Athens on Thursday (5:55pm GMT kick-off)
- The recent performances of Jamie Vardy, Wesley Fofana and Cengiz Ünder were also on the agenda
Jamie Vardy's 80th-minute header wrapped up the points for the Foxes at Emirates Stadium, sending Brendan Rodgers' men up to fourth in the Premier League table.
With one eye on Thursday's UEFA Europa League group stage clash at AEK Athens, Taggart, Walsh and Cottee assessed City's start to the 2020/21 campaign...
Fofana's confidence
Gerry Taggart said: “We can sit here and talk about all the good stuff for a long, long time. It was another performance where you’re looking at him [Wesley Fofana] and thinking: ‘How’s this guy 19?’ He’s playing well beyond his years. There was a ball which came to the edge of the box and he was on the penalty spot and it dropped to a forward, but he took the responsibility, straight away, to go out and engage the forward. He gets a massive block on it and stops a free shot of the Arsenal player. That awareness and confidence is quite amazing.”
World-class Vardy
Tony Cottee said: “Vardy's not the type of player who’s getting the fourth or fifth goal against one of the teams down the bottom of the Premier League. He’s scoring against the top teams. I think Brendan described him as a ‘world-class striker’ and I would go along with that. When he came on against Arsenal, you could see the two Arsenal centre-backs were absolutely petrified of him. What do you do when you’re scared of a striker? You drop off 10 yards and that creates the space for the midfield. That’s what it did for Youri Tielemans.”
Assessing Leicester's system
Steve Walsh said: “I didn’t realise the record at Arsenal went back right to 1973! It’s incredible, but it’s a milestone we’ve hit and we seem to be hitting a lot. The main thing for me is that is consolidates that good start to the season. When we didn’t have the ball, you could see a rigid, disciplined system. Then they started defending from the front, which is important. The longer the game went on, there was only going to be one winner, I thought. Jamie Vardy is so clever and he knows where to be at the right time. That’s why he scores.”
Ünder's role in the goal
Tony Cottee said: “It was a wonderful ball from Tielemans and I was right level with it… I could see quite clearly, and you can hear me on commentary say ‘goal’ before it went in. I was on the 18-yard line and could see Jamie Vardy was totally unmarked in the middle. It was wonderful vision and a really good cross (from Cengiz Ünder). Sometimes, that half-volley cross can be difficult. Players often scuff it and it goes miles over the players’ heads, but the cross was absolutely fantastic.”
Looking ahead to Athens
Gerry Taggart said: “I think Leicester will go there full of confidence after the last two results, two excellent results in Europe and in the league. There’s nothing to fear in going there, but it won’t be an easy place. Even a point from these games away from home can be massive. It’s another game where you might have to play that style of football for the first 15/20 minutes. We’ve seen they’re capable of doing it.”
A great start
Steve Walsh said: “Brendan wants to win these games and we want to have a good run in this Europa League. Tactically, it’s been spot on, really, on the whole. We saw that at Man City and then at Arsenal too. You’ve got to say it’s been a great start to the league season and they can go and win this group, but they have take each game seriously and one at a time.”